I have been HIV positive for almost 7years. I have been on and off of Meds. I srtuggle to take my meds, for side effects etc. I am at the posijnt were i am ready to be done with meds all together and let this ride its course. I have trouble paying for the meds, my quality of life is not great and well i am TIRED. I am TIRED of the pills, the blood work, the doctor visits. I am 29 at this time and well i am ready to stop all the meeds and have a better quality of life for the tim ei have left? Advise on how to approach the topic with my doctor. My numbers are currently good, (vl o, cd 750 range)but i am finished with the pills.

Thanks
A

Response from Dr. Henry

I would be very honest and upfront with your doctor about your frustration with the pills and quality of life. Many of my patients experience many of the same frustrations which is expected with a medical condition with no cure on the horizon and the need for chronic use of pills. From the doctor perspective, even with the side effects (becoming less all the time) from the HIV pills, patients today are experiencing less symptoms than they did when they used to get sick from a wide range of AIDS-related conditions that caused grevious symptoms and if treated the meds for those conditions generally caused more side effects than the current crop of antiretrovirals. KH

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